While we here at theTVaddict.com pride ourselves on focusing our coverage on the outlandish behavior of actors onscreen versus off, every once in a while a story comes along that simply demands our attention. Case in point, this morning’s surfacing of a YouTube video [Posted below] featuring TWO AND A HALF MEN co-star Angus T. Jones publicly lambasting the incredibly sweet gig that turned him into a household name.

According to the eighteen year old actor, who in the video offers up a testimony of sorts in support of a religious organization known as the Forerunner Chronicles*, ““If you watch TWO AND A HALF MEN, please stop watching Two and a Half Men. I’m on Two and a Half Men, and I don’t want to be on it. Please stop watching it, and filling your head with filth.”

According to us, Jones’ wish is our command! Heck, not only have we been anti-TWO AND A HALF MEN since its humble unfunny beginnings, we’d love nothing more than to help free the actor from the “shackles” of his $350,000 per week “job”. But not of course before having a little fun with it. After-all, having spent the better part of the past two decades glued to the very medium that Jones is so vehemently against, we know all too well and good that there are more than a handful of formerly famous faces that could use a break. Thus in the spirit of #FreeAngus we’ve decided to give back to a former teen idol in need, with that is, a little help from you. Which former star is most deserving of a second shot? Have your say, after the jump! [Read more...]

The Good: Despite our many many (seriously, emphasis on the many) problems with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) nominees for the 69th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS, there are, as always, a few reasons for us to cheer. Those reasons include some much-deserved recognition for PARKS AND RECREATION’s Amy Poehler, GAME OF THRONES’ Peter Dinklage and HOMELAND’s leading players Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. Also falling under the category of ‘good’ is a shout out to Madeline Stowe’s deliciously-evil, err… we mean unfortunately misunderstood turn as Grayson matriarch Victoria on REVENGE and Johnny Galecki, whose somewhat subdued performance on THE BIG BANG THEORY far too often gets forgotten amidst the heightened hilarity of his supporting cast. [Read more...]

While we here at theTVaddict.com are the first to admit that we don’t exactly know our hair dos from our don’ts, our self-proclaimed addiction to television has taught us one very valuable lesson over the years: Be it timeslots, actors, or hairstyles audiences don’t like change. Which is why we find ourselves somewhat hesitant to share with you these just-released photos from the return of THE GOOD WIFE. Entitled “The Next Day,” the much-anticipated third season premiere will see Alicia and Will be forced to put aside their increasingly messy personal lives in order to defend a Muslim student accused of murdering a Jewish classmate. Of course, where things get really hairy (see how we did that!) is Alicia’s new ‘do (actually, make that don’t). Seriously folks — particularly those of you who may-or-may-not still be scarred from Keri Russell’s shocking second season shorn on FELICITY — click at your own risk. Again, and we cannot stress this enough, you’ve been warned! [Read more...]

When it was announced last week that Syfy would only be ordering a limited run of 6 episodes of EUREKA for its sixth season, there was an immediate outcry from fans and bewildered viewers. Why the limited number of episodes? And was that Syfy’s way of unofficially cancelling the show?

Alas, this week the news was far worse, Syfy had rescinded its offer of a 6-episode 6th season. Instead, it officially announced that EUREKA’s fifth season would be its last. The ‘cancellation ax’ had finally fallen on a beloved sci-fi series. But even as viewers brought their frustrations and anguish to the digital airwaves, critics were scratching their heads for EUREKA had been a consistently high-ranked performer for Syfy for the past 5 years. What could have possibly happened to justify such an abrupt announcement?

Then as those who worked on the show slowly began issuing statements and information began trickling out, it became clear that Syfy was dissatisfied with the cost of such an expensive show. EUREKA with all its fancy imagery of a fictional town where just about anything could happen, just could not sustain itself financially. Its consistent 2 million viewers, while a high number for a Syfy show, was not enough to make the show economically viable any longer. Syfy was cutting ties simply because of the high cost of making such an effects-laden science fiction show. [Read more...]

THE GOOD: Melissa Leo will be able to recycle her controversial self-published “For You Consideration” campaign thanks to her Outstanding Supporting Actress in a MiniSeries nomination for her work in MILDRED PIERCE! But seriously folks, after spending the better part of the past hour perusing the 2011 Emmy Nominations, nothing — outside of nods for FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS’ Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton that is — puts a smile on this TV Addict’s face like seeing fresh faces getting some much deserved recognition. Be it Louie C.K for his self-titled FX series, RAISING HOPE’s Martha Plimpton, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cat Deeley, THE KILLING’s Miereille Enos and Michelle Forbes and anything and everything associated with THE GOOD WIFE, GAME OF THRONES and JUSTIFIED, it’s hard to argue with a large portion of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’s choices. Hard, but not impossible, which brings us to… [Read more...]

If you’re not watching HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, you’re not just missing out on one of the most ambitious and engaging series to hit the small screen in quite some time, you’re depriving yourself of something that has unfortunately become akin to an endangered species in this spoiler-obsessed internet culture.

The surprise. (Editor’s Note: Stop reading now if you have yet to see Sunday’s episode!)[Read more...]

Despite its myriad of improvements over the course of the past three seasons, last night’s Prom-centric episode of 90210 crystallized an issue that has been plaguing the troubled series since its hastily crafted inception.

That issue? The astonishing misuse of West Beverly High. [Read more...]

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, the top baby names of 2010 feature a slew of small screen inspired monikers including GLEE’s “Quinn,” SEX AND THE CITY’s “Aidan,” and most depressing of all TEEN MOM’s “Maci” and “Bentley.” Sadder still, Twilight’s “Jacob” and “Isabella” maintained their #1 ranking from last year. The full list of which can be seen it its entirety by clicking here.

In response to my recent article “Superheroes Are Dropping Like Flies! An Investigation Why Television Seems to be the Genre’s Kryptonite,” one commenter offered his opinion that superhero shows are failing because the shows are not well-written. But unlike in the movie Field of Dreams, the theory of “If you build it, they will come,” does not hold true on television. In fact, if anything, time and time again, great writing is an anathema to the average television viewer. It does not lure in more viewers and it does not guarantee a higher retention rate. Great writing is but one ingredient needed to draw and retain viewers.

Examples of ratings-challenged television shows offering superior writing include a large number of “brilliant but cancelled” shows from the past decade. Among those are: TERRIERS, BATTLESTAR GALATICA, DEADWOOD, FIREFLY, VERONICA MARS, EVERWOOD, WONDERFALLS, ELI STONE, KINGS and even fan-favorites TERMINATOR: SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES and DOLLHOUSE. (If looking at the current television landscape, it also includes such current shows as the Emmy-winning MAD MEN and BREAKING BAD and newcomer FX’s JUSTIFIED. It appears that no matter how many awards or how much critical-acclaim, even those will not draw in viewers.)

What is fascinating about all these shows is that whether they were immediately heralded as “brilliantly written,” now that they are gone those are the tags we put on them. Why? Because they were. For whatever reason, the average viewer just did not see or perhaps appreciate the superior writing of these shows when they were on. It is certainly true that a small devoted and vocal bunch of viewers immediately saw and appreciated what they had — but in television, small is never better. Television shows only survive if they can pull in a large number of viewers. More viewers equals more ad revenue and thus a longer chance at longevity.

There is a reason all of these shows are now called “brilliant but cancelled” — they simply are.

About the TV Addict

Started in February of 2006 as an outlet for Daniel Malen (The TV Addict) to share his love of television with anyone who would listen, theTVaddict.com has quietly grown into one of the internet’s premiere destinations for television news, interviews and opinion. More about me.